MAMA NANDI is a Nyanga who uses ‘strong muti’. He utilizes the word muti (medicine), as we would use the word magic, to describe afro-centric magical practices. According to mama a traditional herbalist is someone who learns from his grandparents what herbs and plants to use for an ailment, how to harvest these plants, roots and herbs, and how to prepare these for sale at one of the popular local markets.

mama explained the difference between the very labels used to describe traditional healers, according to his understanding of things.Bensonvale,Bohlokang,Clocolan,Barkly,East,Bambaani,Allanridge,Portelizerbeth,Zeerust,Durban,Kimberley,Nederberg,Sprinbok,Gauteng,Johannesburg,Strand,(+27786477073)MAMA Is In Bloemfortein,Stellenbosh,Rustenburg,

Isangoma

Isangoma

“To be a sangoma is to heed a calling from one’s ancestors. The sangoma goes to twasa and works mainly with ancestral spirits. Sangomas do not use human bones in their muti for it drives away the ancestors. They are diviners and healers. They use animal bones to foresee the future.”

A NANDi is trained in herbal lore and all other matters pertaining to African Magical Practices. “MAMA NANDI use strong muti.” Vincent explains. I asked him what ‘strong muti’ was. “Strong muti is made of plants, roots, herbs, animal and plant fats, bones and parts of human bodies.

“Where do you get these bones, say if the muti you are preparing requires the knuckles of a leopard?” I asked.

leopard skin for sale outside muthi market

leopard skin for sale outside muthi market

“If I cannot kill one myself, then I go say to Skukuza and I buy it from the people there. We also find bones in the veld or dig the graves.”

Vincent explains that Sangomas heal and consult the ancestors for answers and for cures. MAMA NANDI work with spirits. They can heal and they can kill. “In world folklore, Shamans and Witches are said to fly at night. Can MAMA also fly and shape-shift?” I ask.

“Yes. There are muti’s for all those things.”

“How does one become a witch in the African sense of the word?”

“A umthakathi must pass his magic to a child of his family before he dies.“

“They will take that baby child and make incisions at the bottom of its spine and rub in the strong muti ‘umnyezane’. This muti will penetrate into the child’s bloodstream and make it strong. The umthakathi will throw the baby vigorously against a wall. If the muti has taken, the child will grab the wall and not fall. If the muti has not taken the child will fall and cry. This means the muti must be administered again, until it works.”(+27786477073)

“Vincent, when I first met you, you proudly announced that you were a witch. Sometimes you called yourself a witch-doctor. I know that in your culture a witch is an umthakathi, a practitioner of malevolent magic. Does this mean that you are an umthakathi?(+27786477073)”

“Umthakathi and thakathi are the accusations leveled at a nyanga who uses strong muti. One nyanga to avoid being pointed out and also to safeguard his practice, will point out another nyaga as a umthakathi. Sometimes the accused does not even know anything about magic. It is just an ugly old woman.”(jelemaiah2@gmail.com)

Nyanga - traditional herbalist

Nyanga - traditional herbalist

“How did the African Renaissance and the return to African culture and roots affect your practice, Vincent? Is the use of what you call “strong muti” more socially acceptable now?”

“No, it is not acceptable. It is practiced under dark cover.”

“The Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1957 outlaws witchcraft and finger pointing, but it also conversely creates the climate in which both magical crimes and false accusations are perpetuated. How does the WSA of 1957 affect you? Do you wish to see it revoked?”

“The Witchcraft Suppression Act makes us who wish to practice our magic, open to attack by the community. For example, if you keep a monkey at home the people will toy-toy outside your house and accuse you of being a witch. It does not help to explain to them that a monkey is an animal like any other animal. Monkeys, meerkats, cats, frogs and bush babies are all feared as they are used in African magic. We use them in revenge muti. An African magician can actually send these animals to do work for him. For example, strong muti can be put into the stomach of a frog through the mouth. You put the frog under a car’s tyre and when the person drives off, the frog dies and the muti for revenge will start to work. That person WILL have an accident. Maybe die.”

“According to your understanding is the word “witch” then a bad word?”

” It is not nice. I much more prefer the definition “African magician”.”

“But is the word “witch” not also a word of power in the African community?”

“Yes, People respect you because they fear you.” Vincent speaks and there is a certain pleased glint in bright eyes. “Tsotsis (thiefs) will think twice before trying to steal a “umthakhati”’s car, for example.”

“Is yours a spiritual or a magical practice, Vincent?”

“It is a magical practice.”

“Do you kno that Witchcraft is a recognized religion in our country as well as all over the world?”

“Yes, a religion is a belief. And people believe in witchcraft. I know it is a religion.”

“Actually it is more than that. It is the return to the ways of our ancestors. A return to their customs, Gods and Goddesses. It is the revival of old belief structures, principles and ethics. It is our spiritual heritage. For us, a Witch is a wise person. The Church and Christian Missionaries used the mistranslated biblical injunction “suffer not a witch to live” to demean and adulterate this word’s meaning. The ramifications of this mistranslation infiltrated even your culture, turning your magical practices into superstitious practices and evil beliefs. We wish to claim and reclaim the word “Witch” so that it commands the respect that our religion deserves and you the freedom to pursue your culture without harming none.”

“I understand.“

I explained further. “Traditional healers in our country told us that they have fought long and hard to be called “traditional healers”, instead of witch-doctors. South African Witches are campaigning so that those who do not self-identify as Witches stop using this word in their practice of false accusations. Its use in this context is demeaning of our religion and promotes scape-goating and community execution of the innocent. It is being used as a smoke-screen. Malevolent afro-centric magical practices are described as superstition by Western culture. South African Pagans grant African Traditional Healers the cultural respect and wish likewise to have our religious identity and traditions respected. Witchcraft is our religion and, as Damon Leff of SAPRA wrote, the continued allegations by Phephsile Maseko that mutilations and murders linked to the making of what you call strong muti are perpetrated by witches in the name of witchcraft, are false and defamatory. We have been involved in talks with the THO since 2007, and have repeatedly asked Ms. Maseko to respect and show consideration for our struggle, but I presume that the solidarity we’ve asked of her goes against the THO’s political agenda?”

“Together South African Pagans and the THO challenged the Mpumalanga Legislature’s proposed revision of the WSA in 2007. We agree on the fact that we need the 1957 WSA to be abolished. We will not settle for anything else but its complete and entire repeal. We realize, however, the Traditional Healers would be happy to see it rewritten to suit their aims and goals and to accommodate the custom of pointing out umthakathis.